1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to devices used to shield unwanted environmental light from causing glare or other light interference when viewing a video display such as a television. The present invention is a darkened border shield that serves as a frame around a video display such as a television monitor to reduce background brightness around the face of the video display.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are currently in use various devices for shielding video monitors which generally take the form of a hood extending perpendicular away from the plane of the face of the display. These include apparatus made of cardboard, plastic, wood and the like. There are also known cabinets which are constructed such that the video display is contained therein and thus ambient light shielding may be provided.
An example of a simple, attachable hood shield is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,633,324 which is adjustable to fit various size video displays with an emphasis on the CRT apparatus. A more complicated example of a hood which includes a means to shield out ambient light is found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,485,226. Again it should be emphasized these devices present a hood which projects perpendicular out from the plane of the video screen to form an awning or tubular cover. In such devices the walls may also be flared outwards in some manner.
The present invention is a shielding device that is approximately parallel to the plane of the face of the video screen of a television or other video display device. An interlocking combination of panels is attached around the cabinet structure of the video display. This provides a broad darkened frame around the display to contrast with the light of the display and to reduce ambient background light.